


time is on my side (you're searching for good times, but just wait and see)

by leifstroganoff



Category: Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (TV)
Genre: M/M, Soulmate AU, coffee shop AU, uh that's really it this was a request from a long long long time ago
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 08:42:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29415825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leifstroganoff/pseuds/leifstroganoff
Summary: soul mate/ˈsōl ˌmāt/a person ideally suited to another as a close friend or romantic partner. the love of your life.tobin batra.
Relationships: Tobin Batra/Leif Donnelly
Comments: 12
Kudos: 34





	time is on my side (you're searching for good times, but just wait and see)

**Author's Note:**

> yo yo yo so this is a request from a LONG time ago when i was doing the [trope crossover request meme](https://cranberryleif.tumblr.com/post/625534637444399104/fanfiction-trope-mash-up) over on tumblr (and you can still request something from that if you'd like over @ cranberryleif on tumblr, i'm always looking for new ideas!), i just got a sudden burst of inspiration and it's super short and sweet but i'm happy with it! i hope y'all enjoy it, too!

Leif Donnelly never expected to meet his soulmate. If he was being honest, he thought the idea of soulmates didn’t really quite check out in the first place. The idea that one person is meant for you, while beautiful in and of itself, freaked him out more than anything. He would never admit it if you asked him, but he’s certain that the only reason his parents stayed together was ‘soulmate status’. It certainly wasn’t love. 

On another level, he wasn’t even sure if he _wanted_ a soulmate, wanted _love._ His entire life, he was interested only in math and words - equations and definitions were easy, they were almost unchanging. There’s always a right answer, a definition that can be memorized. A logical next step. 

So, he ignored the small _‘woah, dude, you look **sick** ’_ written in cursive on his wrist and he kept pushing himself. Pushing himself to be better, to be smarter, to work harder and he _still_ ended up in charge of his Uncle’s tiny mom and pop coffee shop in San Francisco. 

He _could_ be worse off. He knows that. He could be destitute or starving or unhappy in every aspect of his life. But he’s also not _fulfilled._ He has a degree, he has a crazy amount of talent and skill in said degree’s field, and he feels like he’s _wasting_ it making overpriced lattes for grumpy mostly white people that treat him like he’s less than the dirt beneath their shoes.

Sometimes he _feels_ like he’s less than the dirt beneath their shoes. 

But there were good days, too. Days like today where Autumn, one of his favorite employees and probably the closest thing he has to an actual friend, bumps his arm as he’s wiping down the back counter and nods her head towards the door. 

“Absolute _cutie_ , twelve o’clock, don’t look too fast.”

He looks way too fast, anyways, whipping his head towards the door and seeing… _well,_ Autumn was probably most accurate in the description of _‘absolute cutie’_. Bouncy hair, well-kept scruff, oversized hoodie, ripped jeans and a casually confident air about him. _Absolute cutie, indeed._

It doesn’t take long for him to reach the front of the line and look up from his phone, making eye contact with Leif and raising his eyebrows scrupulously, setting Leif’s defenses in place immediately.

“Woah, _dude,_ you look… _sick.”_

Leif’s pretty sure his heart stops. Is he sweating? He’s definitely sweating. Is he breathing? Probably not, _better get on that._ Breathing’s a little bit important, he reminds himself. He also reminds himself that he’s still staring shell-shocked at this poor dude.

“I’m sorry, _what?”_

“Like, you look like you’re about to pass out back there, are you sure you should be working?” 

Well… _no._ The guy is definitely **right.** He’s working a double, he slept for about three hours the prior night, woke up to jog, almost fell asleep in the shower and then came straight to the coffee shop. But it’s different for _him_ to be aware of how terrible he feels and how he must _look_ and for this _very handsome_ stranger to _tell him that_ out of nowhere, when he’s just here to get ridiculously overpriced coffee from him. _And this poor dude probably doesn’t even know what those words mean to Leif, anyways._ ‘ _I’m sorry, what?’_ is _far_ more common than ‘ _woah, dude, you look **sick** ’. _

“Um… _gee, thanks?”_

“No, I didn’t mean to -”

“It really feels like you meant to -”

“You’re just really cute.” The guy blurts out and his cheeks immediately flush, closing his eyes and sighing with it. “Sorry. I just meant that… no, yeah, I meant that you’re really cute. And I didn’t have an ice breaker, so, uh… You don’t look that bad. I mean, you look tired. I mean, I’m gonna shut up now.” 

“You could… _order._ ”

“Right, yeah, that’s - this is a coffee shop. I’ll just take a large black coffee and then… go. Yup. Thanks.” 

Leif punches it in and takes the five dollar bill that he hands over with a nod and he can’t help the small smile that drifts onto his face as he hands him his change, the words ringing back through his head; _‘woah, dude, you look **sick** ’. _Words that he’s both been waiting for and dreading for years. Words he kind of hoped he’d _never_ hear, but this guy seems nice enough and he’s definitely _cute._

He pours the guy’s coffee before turning around, noting that the shop is empty and it can’t _hurt_ to waste a couple minutes. 

“I’m Leif.” He introduces himself as he sets the coffee on the counter between them before turning around and pouring himself a cup, too.

“I know.” The guy says matter of factly and Leif turns around to raise his eyebrows, confusion etched onto his face. “You’re… You’re wearing a name tag. I’m Tobin.” 

Leif lets a small laugh out, glancing down at the name tag on his chest and _yeah, that’s fair._

“It’s nice to meet you, Tobin.” 

He meets his eyes with a smile, a genuineness underlying the words as he brings the paper cup of coffee up to his lips. 

“You too, _Leif.”_

A nice silence lingers between them and a warmth spreads through Leif’s chest that he doesn’t think he can entirely attribute to the coffee as Tobin lets out an honest-to-god giggle and, for the first time in his life, Leif thinks maybe this whole soulmates thing isn’t as much of a crock of bullshit as he’d thought because this feels _nice._

“I’m sorry. That I said you looked sick. I could try to spin it as like, uh, you look _sick_ , like _cool,_ if that would help.” 

Leif laughs at that, too, and it feels _easy._

“No, I think I like the first version better. I look _sick._ I don’t think I’ve gotten a full night’s sleep in a month.” 

Leif’s not really sure why he feels so comfortable sharing this with Tobin (except that he _is_ , no matter how much he doesn’t wanna buy into soulmate-ism, he knows now exactly what everyone meant when they said it felt _easy_ ), but it comes out before he can stop it and Tobin nods his head solemnly. 

“Well, um…” Leif starts, straightening his back and pulling back. “Like a well-wound clock, you are… _all set_ to go.” 

“That…” Tobin starts, giving him an endearing look and not bothering to hide the slight smile drawing at his lips. “Sure is a phrase you just said.” 

Leif laughs _again_ and he’s still blushing like an idiot and he can’t help the pit in his stomach as he watches Tobin move to leave. Something stirs in his stomach as soon as Tobin’s back is towards him and he calls out a soft _‘hey, wait’._

Tobin turns around immediately, an almost hopeful look in his eyes and _yeah, okay, that settles it._

“I’m about to close up. You wanna grab coffee?” He asks lightly, hopefulness overtaking his voice, too. Tobin stares at him and points to the coffee already in his hands. “Right. _Right._ How ‘bout dinner, then?” 

“That sounds… _great.”_

**Author's Note:**

> comments literally make my day,,,, feed my soul,,,, water my crops,,,,,, all of the above 👉🏻👈🏻🥺


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